A wireless communication system can be utilized to provide wireless access to various communication services (e.g., voice, video, data, messaging, content broadcast, etc.) for users of the system. Wireless communication systems can operate according to a variety of network specifications and/or standards, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA). These specifications and/or standards use different modulation techniques, such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Multi-Carrier CDMA (MC-CDMA), Single-Carrier CDMA (SC-CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA), and so on.
Technological advances have provided significant increases in the computing power and networking capabilities of mobile devices. For instance, a number of smart phones and personal digital assistants (PDA) currently run full-fledged operating systems, employ powerful processors, and have broadband connectivity to the internet that rivals desktop computers and laptops. The technical capabilities of these devices have made them appealing to professionals, students, and casuals users alike. Resulting in a large user base that is non-technical in nature, and has little understanding of digital security threats. These aspects make the ever more powerful mobile devices an attractive target for cyber criminals.
In particular, botnets in mobile devices are a growing concern for mobile device users and wireless network administrators. Since these devices are ubiquitous and are expected to outnumber personal computers in the near future, they are high-value targets for cyber criminals intending to control, own and rent them for cyber criminal activities. A compromised mobile device under the control of a botnet can cause serious issues for both the user and the associated communication infrastructure. A bot program on a mobile device can transmit spam messages over the wireless network, make expensive international calls, or send text messages to premium numbers without the user's knowledge or permission. Accordingly, it would be desirable to implement techniques for effectively mitigating botnets in mobile devices and wireless communication systems.